Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital

Programs and Services

Bone and joint problems don’t discriminate – they can happen to anyone, at any age. Fortunately, there’s a solution designed to bring relief to people suffering from a wide range of related conditions.

The Bone & Joint Program brings together a spectrum of expertise that has earned Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital a reputation for excellence in the field of bone and joint disorders.

Fractures

Trauma

Joint replacement

Sports medicine

Occupational medicine

Podiatry

Osteoporosis prevention and treatment

Preventive orthopaedic care and education

Physical Medicine

Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital’s (HVSH) progressive, highly skilled orthopaedic and podiatry specialists can help patients suffering from bone and joint pain to be more flexible, mobile and agile. “Our goal is to help our patients experience and enjoy their lives to the fullest,” explains E. Patrick Mitchell, D.O., chief of orthopaedic medicine at Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital. The program addresses the needs of people of all ages, from newborns to grandparents. Seeing patients quickly is also a priority. Patients suffering pain from bone and joint problems can schedule an appointment within 48 hours with a HVSH orthopaedic physician or podiatrist.

Patients suffering pain from bone and joint problems can schedule an appointment within 48 hours with a HVSH orthopedic physician or podiatrist.

Highly Skilled and Experienced Staff

Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital’s Bone and Joint Program offers highly respected orthopaedic physicians, surgeons and podiatrists with a broad range of capabilities and expertise, as well as nurses with special training in orthopaedic techniques. Surgeries are conducted in the area’s newest state- of-the art operating room, which recently opened as part of the hospital’s $27 million expansion.

Leading-edge technology, combined with vast expertise and ongoing physician education, enables the Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital program to deliver the most advanced care for every musculoskeletal condition. And, you can feel confident knowing we are a part of the Detroit Medical Center, the area''s only nationally recognized academic health system.

Minimally Invasive Total Joint Replacement

Total joint replacement surgery can result in the relief of discomfort and restore function in a majority of patients dealing with severe hip and knee pain. As patients learn about surgical options, many ask ‘is a minimally invasive technique right for me?’

HVSH orthopaedic surgeons have performed minimally invasive surgery for total knee and total hip replacement for some time. This method of surgery, while still very complex, often results in shorter hospital stays, faster recoveries, and much less scarring.

Only an orthopaedic surgeon can properly evaluate whether a patient is a candidate for a minimally invasive procedure. Risk factors relating to prior joint replacements, weight, and a patient’s overall health should be discussed and the risks and benefits of any form of joint replacement should be evaluated.

The most important factor in any surgical decision should be that the end result be the best possible for the patient’s long-term health.

Shoulder Pain: Better Outcomes

One common cause of shoulder pain called a rotator cuff tear is a very painful experience. Patients cannot raise their arm, and sleep is often impossible because they cannot put weight on their shoulder. Because of new medical technologies, HVSH is now able to offer arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. “This procedure offers less pain, fewer scars and faster recovery and it is done on an outpatient basis,” comments Roland Brandt, D.O., a HVSH orthopaedic surgeon who specializes in rotator cuff repair and surgery of the shoulder.

Philip T. Schmitt, D.O., says it’s important to address a torn Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) very soon after the initial injury to reduce the risk of arthritis setting in. This ligament is often injured in sports such as football, soccer and skiing. Usually the patient complains of a sudden injury to the knee and the inability to walk, pain and swelling. HVSH has recently acquired new equipment that allows Schmitt and his team to film an arthroscopic repair of the ACL and give the patient a DVD featuring footage from their procedure. “Not only is this very informative for the patient, it allows us to document the condition if further treatment is required and for purposes of physical therapy,” said Schmitt.

Pick Up Your Pace Without Surgery

A fairly new technique in treating osteoarthritis of the knee called Viscosupplementation injections is gaining popularity as an alternative to surgery. The treatment is especially helpful for patients who have not responded to traditional physical therapy or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. “Viscosupplementation is made from hyaluronan, a substance that is present in normal joint fluid,” explains Ronald Lederman, M.D., a board certified orthopaedic surgeon. “Viscosupplementation injections work by restoring elasticity to the joint for up to two years.” Lederman says that some patients get almost immediate relief while others experience relief after one to two months.

Time is on Your Side. Longer Living Hip Replacements

“As people live longer, hip implants need to last longer,” comments Mark D. Mackey, M.D., an orthopaedic surgeon who has done more than two dozen ceramic bearing hip replacements at Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital. In laboratory tests, ceramic-on-ceramic implants provide considerably lower wear versus conventional metal-on-plastic components, making it an ideal choice for patients under the age of 60.

“After about 15 years the metal in metal-to-polyethelene hip implants begin to wear the plastic down increasing the chance for a revision hip replacement,” says Mackey.

When Bones Break – New Techniques for Healing Fractures

In an effort to improve rehabilitation results after a complicated fracture, HVSH orthopaedic surgeon, Daniel B. Hoard M.D., is using less invasive techniques to repair bones in the lower portion of the body. Hoard attaches plates and screws to the fractured bone through smaller incisions than traditional surgery, allowing patients to avoid long term immobilization of the leg, also called traction.

“This approach is especially positive for older patients with fragile bones because of the reduced risk for infection with smaller incisions,” comments Hoard.

Pre-Surgical Education

HVSH offers patients a pre-surgical education program about joint replacement that has become a model for programs throughout the area. Patients who participate in the hospital’s pre-surgical program prior to joint replacement surgery often enjoy a faster and more complete recovery.

Approximately 80 percent of the population will have low back pain at some point in their lives. While very few have a serious medical problem that requires surgery, those who do are now benefiting from a surgical approach that has been used to combat degenerative knee and hip conditions.

Known by some as a ‘bionic back,’ the Charite Artificial Disc™ is an alternative to spinal fusion for patients who have one diseased disc in the lumbar area of the spine. It is the first and only FDA approved artificial disc in the United States today.

The technique is performed by only a small number of surgeons in southeastern Michigan. Miles Singer, D.O., a spine surgeon at Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital recently performed the surgery on Kim Kuiper, 39, of Novi, replacing her worn out spinal disc with the high tech substitute.

Kuiper, who had been plagued by back problems since her teen years, was up and walking just one day after surgery. “I am very happy with how this turned out,” said Kuiper. “I am looking forward to getting back to exercising and riding my bike.

Singer says a quicker response time is to be expected with the Charite Artificial Disc™. Patients leave the hospital within 24–48 hours as opposed to traditional lumbar fusion, which requires a stay of up to five days. Invented in Europe, the device helps restore the natural distance between the two vertebrae, which can allow movement.